Railway-crossing signal



July 7, 1925.

O. PLETTEN RAILWAY- CROSSING SIGNAL Filed April 17, 1925 Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES OLE PLETTEN, OF BROWN VALLEY, MINNESOTA.

RAILWAY-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application filed April 17, 1925.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLE PLETTEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brown Valley, in the county of Traverse and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Crossing Signals, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to a railway crossing signal and has for its principal object to provide a mechanically operated crossing signal of improved construction, which will automatically ring an alarm bell upon the approach of a train.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a signal of this character, which shall be inexpensive and simple in its construction, so as not to be likely to get out of order and to act with certainty in the operation of the signal or alarm.

\Vith the above and numerous other obj ects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the signal apparatus, showing the same disposed along a railway track, and

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of the crank shaft, used with the signal apparatus.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that a railway track has been shown wherein, usual, the rails 1 are mounted on ties 2. A standard 3 is disposed alongside of the track adjacent one rail 1, and a standard 4 is likewise disposed alongside of the same rail, at a distance to standard 3, and is provided with the cross member 5 at its top, which is also supported by another standard 4, (not shown), or in any other suitable manner.

A crank shaft 6 is journaled on one of the ties 2, adjacent the standard 8 and includes the intermediately disposed U-shaped crank 7, and the end cam shaped trip crank 8, which is adapted to lie along the inner side of the rail 1, so as to be engaged by the flange of the wheel running on the track. A. bell crank lever 9 is fulcrumed at 10, on the standard 3, and the shorter arm thereof, indicated specifically by the numeral 11 has a rod extending therethrough, with a nut 13 Serial N 0. 23,943.

on the upper end thereof. The lower end of this rod is looped, as at 14, for engaging the intermediate portion of the U-shaped crank 7.

A shaft 15 is journaled between standards 4 and is provided with a striker 16 and a crank 17. A connecting rod 18 is attached to the crank 17, and to the end of the longer arm of the bell crank lever 9. A bell 19 is suspended from the cross member 5 and is adapted to be sounded by the striker 16. Springs 20 and 21 are connected to the cranks l7 and 9 respectively and to the standards 4 and 3 respectively, for holding the striker 16 normally out of engagement with the bell 19 and for holding the trip crank 8 in an engaging position.

From the above description, it will be seen that as a train approaches a crossing, the wheels of a train will ride over the trip crank 8. As each wheel moves over the trip crank 8, the bell 19 will be rung, and thus the public will be warned that a train is passing over a crossing.

It is apparent that numerous changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as hereinafter claimed, or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

In combination, apair of spaced stand-- ards adapted to be disposed alongside of a track, a shaft journaled in one standard, a crank extending from the shaft, a striker extending from the shaft, an audible signal associated with the striker, a bell crank lever pivoted on the other standard, a connecting rod bet-ween the crank of the shaft and one arm of the bell crank lever, springs associated with the bell crank lever and the crank of the shaft for holding the gong in a non-engaging position in relation to the signal, a rod connected to the other arm of the bell crank lever and depending downwardly, a crank shaft j ournaled adjacent the trackway and including acrank of U-shaped formation engaged by the last mentioned rod and a cam shaped trip crank adapted to be disposed alongside of one of the rails for engagement by the flange of a car wheel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

OLE PLETTEN. 

